Private Affair (The Private Series) (5 page)

I stand and open the door, “We are just fine.” I look back over my shoulder at Caroline and we give one another a knowing look.

“How about some breakfast?” Ben asks, and he looks a little nervous.

“Sounds good big brother.”

Caroline and I arrive at the facility. Before we get out of the car we sit. I just wait until she is ready, that’s all I can do and will do. You can’t push this and I think that’s why she wanted me to bring her. She knows that I won’t harp on her.

“Tess?”

“Yeah?” I answer.

She fidgets with her bandage once again. Her arm is outside of its sleeve, when I tried to help her into it at home, it hurt too much. I offered her, her pain medication, but she refused. So, we settled for one arm in and one out.

“I’m nervous.”

“I know and that’s expected. This is going to help you Caroline.”

“I know. It’s still hard.”

I don’t like to sugar coat things and I don’t. I know Caroline well enough to know that she wouldn’t want me too either. “It is going to be hard, but that’s why you are here, to get better, stronger and even more brave than what you already are. You are incredible. You can do this and you know I wouldn’t say that to just anybody.”

Caroline half smiles at me and I see her chin start to quiver. I lean over and hug her without hurting her arm. “Let’s rock this bitch.”

We are finally in Caroline’s room, she has a roommate who is in for an eating disorder, poor girl. She seems nice at least, the other girls in here that we met in passing seemed a little … harsh. The woman who runs orientation and gets new patients in said we have nothing to worry about, but I do.

Her roommate whose name is Skyler has a group meeting and leaves us to talk. “What do you think?” I ask.

She looks around the small white painted cinderblock room, “Seems okay.”

“Caroline, I want to share something with you that no one other than your brother knows.” I think my story might help her.

“Okay.”

“When I was a young teen I used to cut too.”

Her eyes widen, “really?”

“Really.” I go into what I told Ben. I tell her about the asshole in my school that left me in the middle of nowhere, because I wouldn’t have sex with him. I even tell her about me being nearly raped.

“So how did you stop?” She asks the one question that to this day still baffles me.

“I wanted to live.”

That’s all it takes and she is in my arms crying. I comfort her. I hold her for however long it takes. I let her cry it out. I think this is the first time she really lets it go, in a healthier way. I rub her back and play with her hair … anything a Mom would do for her daughter. I know it’s what my Mom would have done for me if I ever told her about my cutting back then.

I unlock the door to my new home. Before I open the door I take in a deep breath. When did growing up become so … real? I met my perfect match, got my dream job, became part of an amazing family and I am getting married.

I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding on to and I walk through the door to find the room darkened with candles all over the large penthouse apartment. One that was once a bachelor pad and is now my home, with my man. I walk to the kitchen and I set all of my belongings down and remove my coat.

I look around the room for Ben and I don’t spot him anywhere. “Ben?” I call out. I make my way through the living area … no Ben. I go down the short hall to our bedroom …no Ben, but my art piece is back up, hmmm… I bet he couldn’t wait to put that back.

I hear light music come from the other side of the hall, coming from the bathroom. I start to walk closer and I smell the comforting scent of lavender. I stop in front of the door and lightly push it open to find Ben in a pair of black jeans, barefoot and shirtless sitting along the tubs edge, playing an acoustic guitar.

Holy…

“Welcome home,” he greets me.

I step in and close the door, not wanting the delicious scent and heat to escape the room. “What’s all this for?”

He sets the guitar down, turns his body, sits on the tubs edge and faces me. “This…” he gestures to the candles and bubble bath, “This is a thank you. A thank you for taking care of my baby sister. Not just today, but for looking out for her for weeks now. I should have paid more attention to the signs you told me about, but I was too ignorant to believe that my baby sister was capable of such things. You are an amazing woman. You deserve an evening of relaxation.”

I step between his legs and rest my hands on his bare toned shoulders. I trace my fingers over the tattoo he got for me and I see him shutter at my touch. “Thank you.”

“Now, why don’t you let me remove these clothes from you and you can climb into the bath. I’ll pour you some Moscato.” His hands reach for the hem of my top and he slowly glides it up my torso, lightly dragging his fingers in their leisurely trail. It feels like an eternity since we have had a nice moment that I get chills at his sensual touch. He undoes the button on my jeans and I slid them off. Ben runs his hands up the outsides of my thighs and rests them on my hips. Leaning forward he rests his head on my stomach.

I run my fingers through his newly shaggy hair, I can’t remember the last time he had a trim. “Hey, you okay?” I ask.

“I’m just thankful for you. It’s been a rough few days and I don’t know if I would have been able to get through any of it, if it wasn’t for you.” He looks up into my eyes and I can see who he is, all of him. I see all of his worry, his pain and love. The love he has for his sister, family and me.

“You were never alone in this Ben. She is my sister too you know.”

He traces a light kiss just below my navel, “I love you.” He stands and leads me into the lavender bubble filled bath. “Here, this night is for you. I want you to relax and rest.”

“Will you join me?”

Without saying a word he removes his black jeans and climbs in behind me. I rest the back of my head on his chest. I feel him nuzzle my hair with his nose and inhales. I close my eyes and finally let the tension that I didn’t know I was holding let go.

I must have drifted off in the bath, because I wake up in our bed with Ben’s body wrapped around mine. The lavender oils soaked into our skin and with our body heat twisting into one another’s sends tingles between the apex of my thighs. I arch my back, pushing my ass against his semi hard front … is this man ever not turned on?

I roll my hips in a circular motion in hopes of easing him awake. It must be working, because I start to feel him push back. I hear a deep low moan escape his throat and that’s all it takes for me to turn and push him onto his back and mount him. No words needed. I see his passion in his eyes and feel it in his movements. I grab his length and guide him into me. I put his tip at the entrance of my folds and slowly lower myself onto him. I see his eyes roll back and his chest rise with a deep breath.

Our pace is slow for a bit, just taking one another in. “You’re so wet,” he tells me. “It feels like it’s been forever.”

“I know, I thought the same thing earlier.” I start to pick up my pace as I feel myself quicken.

Ben grips into my hips and tells me, “Easy baby, I want to get there with you.”

I lean down to kiss him and he takes my bottom lip between his teeth. “Ben…”

He growls out, “Fuck it!” then he bucks up, taking me deeper and harder. Before we know it I am throwing my head back and he is groaning through his climax. I rest my body on top of his and I turn my head to face him, both panting.

We get comfy in our bed, it’s still odd to call it ours, but
our
bed. He asks me, “Did they say how long she needs to be in there?”

I take hold of his hand as we lay face to face, “They want to see her be there for a few weeks and go from there.”

“It will be strange not having her home on Christmas day,” he says sadly.

“But, we can visit with her there on the day.”

With a sigh he tells me, “It’s better than never seeing her again.”

He brings my hand up to his lips and rests them on my fingers. “She will get better Ben.”

When he looks at me, I finally see the belief and hope in his eyes.